1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for texturizing continuous filament threads by means of heated flowing media, the device including a thread infeed part for taking in the threads, a treatment part connected with the infeed part and a treatment chamber for heating the threads, and a crimping part, the crimping part containing a slot nozzle, with the crimping part being connected to the treatment part, with the heated threads being stuffed into the crimping part for forming a crimping in the threads, the slot nozzle being provided with plates having slots, the plates having an essentially rectangular cross section and being radially arranged with their narrow sides facing the stuffed thread, with every plate taking the form of a flat steel part.
2. Discussion of the Background of the Invention and Material Information
Swiss Patent Publication No. 527,931 discloses a device as set forth above in the Field of the Invention wherein the plates have an essentially rectangular cross section, with the narrow side facing the stuffed thread, and are permanently arranged in a radial manner.
During the use of slot nozzles for texturizing continuous filament threads there exists the problem that the thread snarls, located in the stuffer box, penetrate more or less deeply into the space between the plates, depending on the degree of plastification of the threads, the previous treatment of the threads with any kind of treatment and dyeing agent, as well as depending upon the frictional conditions at the end faces of the plates facing the thread, and in this way change, to an undetermined degree, the frictional conditions for the transporting of the quantity of thread in the stuffer box.
A further shortcoming consists in that the frictional conditions are subject to continuous change on account of the wear of the end faces of the plates, this requiring continuous control of the texturizing product and simultaneously a corresponding adaptation of the operating conditions in relation to the media supply, respectively requiring frequent replacement of the slot nozzles. These frequent replacements of the slot nozzles as well as frequent checks of the finished yarn are furthermore very demanding in terms of labor and costs.
Therefore it was the object of another invention, published in the European Patent Application No. 0,163,039 B, to remedy these shortcomings and to produce a device for the crimping of threads in which the crimping characteristics of the finished texturized thread, with essentially unchanged conditions in relation to the media supply, are within a useable tolerance over a longer period of time. A further object consisted in avoiding the frequent replacement of the slot nozzle.
According to the noted invention, this object was solved by European Patent No. 0,163,039 B, in that each plate is a flat steel part which is rounded and polished at the thread guiding end face. Advantageous embodiments consist in that the plates are attached in the slot nozzle in a replaceable or pluggable manner.
An advantage of the noted invention consisted in that, by rounding the end faces and by polishing, there existed the possibility of forming this thread transporting surface such that the operating conditions, defined by the friction between the tread and this surface, are subjected to substantially fewer changes due to the wear of the end face.
Furthermore, the exchangeable attachment entailed the advantage that the plates can be replaced in a simple manner after a certain time interval so that the operating conditions stay within acceptable tolerances.
The shortcoming of this nearest state of the art is that the plates are both relatively expensive and still had to be replaced after a relatively short predefined time period.